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Diana Holland
Diana Holland is one of the female leads in the series, and is the younger sister of Elizabeth Holland. Throughout the books her relationship with Henry Schoonmaker develops until it comes to an abrupt end in book four. Diana Holland considers herself the romantic Holland sister. In book 1, The Luxe, Diana is a 16-year-old in the first novel, with a rebellious streak that, Elizabeth believes, stems from the fact that she did not have a very refined coming-out party. Diana is not one to follow rules, but she is often seen with her nose in a book, her only escape from what she thinks is a dull and ridiculous life. She falls in love with her sister's fiancé, Henry Schoonmaker. In ' ''Rumors' , book 2, Diana is stuck in New York, being one of the only two people that knows that her sister's death is a hoax. Throughout the book, Diana and Henry have a secret relationship and plan on somehow marrying. Meanwhile, Henry's father, William Schoonmaker, decides that for reputation's sake it would be a good idea for Henry to marry Penelope, who has been proving herself to be a very worthy socialite. As a bribe to Penelope, whom Carolina wants as a friend to gain social status, Carolina tells Penelope of how Henry and Diana had made love one night in Diana's own bedroom. Penelope uses this information to blackmail Henry into marrying her in order to protect Diana's reputation. The book ends with Henry and Penelope getting married, both Holland sisters heartbroken, and a promise to Diana from Elizabeth to get Henry back. In book 3, ''' Envy''' , Henry Schoonmaker, the handsome son of a wealthy tycoon, is now married to Penelope Hayes, due to her scheming. Henry refuses to even sleep in the same room as his new wife, as he remains infatuated with Diana Holland. Diana Holland is heartbroken about the marriage, but she acts to appear genuine and gay at the many balls and parties she is obligated to attend to, in order to preserve her family's reputation. Henry confronts Diana on the Holland porch, and explains his piteous situation with Penelope. He then asks her to find a way to secretly meet him in Florida, where they may possibly be together. The group of socialites, along with Penelope's older brother, Grayson Hayes, and another member of New York's elite, Leland Bouchard, travel south to Florida, where they vacation on the beach. Before they arrive, Penelope pulls her brother aside and asks him to play a bit with the younger Holland's heart strings. She then claims the reason for the trouble is mere amusement, but her hidden intentions become clear when she suspects Henry and Diana have planned the trip for their own romantic affairs. However, Penelope's scheme backfires when her brother begins to legitimately fall in love with Diana. Back in Florida, Henry and Penelope continue to bicker and Penelope threatens Diana's reputation several times when the papers report of Penelope's marital insecurities. Nevertheless, Henry and Diana continue to meet secretly, and express their undying love to each other. Diana, however, feels as if Henry has seduced her into becoming his mistress, and before she has a chance to fully dismiss him, he quickly promises to leave Penelope. Diana sees the enviableSchoonmaker couple half-naked on their balcony, and assumes that Henry has deceived her. Heartbroken, Diana runs off into the early morning. Later, Henry tells Penelope that their love making was a mistake and he that never should have committed the act. He goes after Diana, who then confronts him, claiming that she no longer loves him. Henry is distraught. After returning to New York, Penelope informs the guests at a Schoonmaker dinner party that she and Henry are expecting a child. Hearing this, a dejected Diana invites Grayson along for a walk through the mansion, where he professes his sincere love to her. He allows her to seduce him and they made love, accidentally witnessed by a horrified Henry. Later, Henry enlists in the army. He notifies a brutally shocked Penelope of this, and accuses her of her false pregnancy. He then sends Diana a long letter, professing his love to her and his apologies. In response, a determined Diana cuts her hair to pass as a man, and runs away to join the army in search of her love. In book 4, 'Splendor' , Diana Holland is in Cuba, having been rejected by the army because she was a girl. She still has short hair (which she previously cut short in ''Envy) and has put out a fake story of her going to a finishing school in Paris. She is working in a bar and is reunited with her one true love, Henry Schoonmaker. After embarking on an adventure in the rain, they both return to Henry's barracks and sleep together. The next morning, both of them awaken to find Henry's superior, Colonel Cooper, in the room. The Colonel recognizes Diana as the society girl in the pages who was supposed to be in Paris. Fearing for his career, Cooper sends the two lovers back to New York. Diana is punished by her mother for leaving them and makes Edith Holland her chaperone. Her mother also wants Elizabeth to give Diana proper scolding. Diana also finds out that Penelope has been in the company of the visiting Prince of Bavaria and gives the newspaper small pieces about them to spite Penelope. When she goes to Elizabeth's new home, Elizabeth tells Diana to leave New York with Henry for they will never be together in the city. Diana proposes the plan to Henry and he agrees. Henry publicly reveals his plans with Diana to his father and his father has a heart attack. William Schoonmaker's death delays Henry and Diana's plans to elope and what Henry said to his father is spread throughout New York. As Diana is attending Schoonmaker Sr.'s funeral, most of the guests are looking at her and gossiping about her. Henry later goes to the Hollands' residence and tells Diana that he has inherited his father's estate and he wishes to marry her. Diana is overwhelmed and runs away from him. She writes Henry a note telling him that she will wait for him at the port so that they can go to Paris together. Henry receives the note a day late and he races to the port. He manages to catch Diana, tells her how much he loves her and proposes to her. Diana is overjoyed and accepts the proposal but is dismayed when Henry says they can stay here. She tells him that she wasn't threatening to leave New York because he didn't romantically propose to her but because she doesn't want to dine and see the people who think she is a tramp again and again. She finally says she wants to go to Paris. Henry says he will go wherever she goes but Diana says that he belongs in New York. She assures him that he will fall in love again and she will remember him forever as her first real love. They kiss passionately for the last time and she leaves on a boat for Paris. Diana is known for having extramarital sex with first Henry Schoonmaker, then Grayson Hayes - this information is used by Penelope Hayes to blackmail Henry into marrying her. She loves to read books and would rather read books than go to the formal parties. Diana Holland eventually rejected Henry Schoonmaker at the end of Splendor, when Henry had enough of Penelope Hayes fake pregnancy.